Dr. Seuss published the book, "The Sneetches and Other Stories" in 1961. It is about the Sneetches who have stars on their bellies and those who have bare bellies. In the beginning, the Sneetches with stars walk with their noses up, and those with bare bellies, walk with their noses down. In each situation, you miss the opportunity to look people in the eye, and see what makes each Sneetch a Sneetch. It fits into our Olweus bully-free school curriculum so perfectly, and into the daily experience of every person. For we go through great periods of "belonging" and "feeling left out". In the book and play, Sylvester McMonkey McBean provides the opportunity, for a fee, to add or remove stars, until all the Sneetches are broke and still confused about having a star or a bare belly. When we chase to belong, what are we chasing? We need to stop looking for what makes us different and focus on what makes us each ourselves.
"That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day,
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars
And whether they had one, or not, upon thars."
I wish I could bottle up the magic and awe of the moments. When we started intermission, the students near me said in complete wonder, "It is just like the tv, but the screen is so big, and it is real, playing out before our eyes!"
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